Legendary Yellowstone Wolf Dies After Fight with Rival Pack

Just months after the death of famed Grizzly 399, Greater Yellowstone has lost another beloved matriarch, the “Queen of the Wolves.” Wolf 907F, the revered alpha of Yellowstone's Junction Butte pack, died on Christmas Day following injuries sustained in a fight with the Rescue Creek pack. She was nearly 12 years old—far exceeding the typical 3.5-to-4-year lifespan of most Yellowstone wolves.

Kira Cassidy is a wildlife biologist for the Yellowstone Wolf Project, an initiative managed by the National Park Service and Yellowstone National Park and consists of a team of biologists who are responsible for researching, collaring and monitoring wolves in the park. According to Cassidy, Wolf 907F was the fifth oldest wolf ever to be recorded in Yellowstone.

“Life in the wild, even in a protected place like Yellowstone, is dangerous and it is extremely rare that wolves die of old age,” she said. 

Despite losing an eye early in life and developing a limp in her later years, 907F led her pack since 2016. Cassidy said the wolf birthed 10 litters of pups, the most ever recorded in the park’s history. Her last litter was born last spring.

It’s difficult to determine exactly how many pups 907F produced during her life— her pack often had multiple litters and shared maternal responsibilities between several females. “Using genetic markers, we confirmed at least eight direct offspring [of 907F], and there are likely others that are unsampled, as well as at least 1-2 generations of descendants,” Cassidy said.  

The longtime Yellowstone naturalist and author of the book series, Alpha Wolves of Yellowstone, Rick McIntyre has been watching the park’s wolves daily since their reintroduction into in 1995 and spent decades explaining wolf behavior to park visitors.

McIntyre observed the events leading to 907F’s death through his spotting scope near the end of 2024. In an interview, he told Mountain Journal that the fatal encounter occurred on December 22 when 19 members of the Rescue Creek pack approached six wolves from the Junction pack, including 907F. After fleeing north, the alpha female wasn’t sighted for several days, though a number of wolves from her pack returned to their den.

McIntyre is working on a soon-to-be-released book featuring the life and death of Wolf 907, which makes her death especially poignant for him. “I’m still very emotional about it,” he said. “But it was an honorable way for an alpha female like that to die. Fights between females seem particularly deadly, especially between alphas. Within Yellowstone, the most common cause of death is from attacks with other wolves: about 50 percent … They essentially control their own population.”

The loss of 907F comes just over two months after another heart-wrenching blow to wildlife enthusiasts. Grizzly 399, the matriarch bruin who raised her cubs roadside in Grand Teton National Park for nearly two decades, died after being struck by a vehicle near Jackson Hole last October. Both animals had widespread followings, including locals and out-of-state visitors, drawing countless tourists to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks.

The deaths of these two celebrated predators highlight their profound impact on local wildlife lovers, tourism and education in the GYE.

Yellowstone guides spend their days telling visitors about the wolves, and 907F often takes the spotlight. “She’s the main topic of conversation,” McIntyre said. “Many people have already read about her when they arrive in Yellowstone. She is by far the best-known Yellowstone wolf.”

On December 26, Yellowstone Wolf Project technicians detected a mortality signal from wolf 907F's collar—an alert triggered after 12 hours without movement. The team recovered her body from the backcountry for necropsy and examination.

McIntyre was on scene when technicians brought 907F’s body out from the backcountry for examination, and said those present were quiet and respectful—they all knew her story.

Dan Stahler, biologist and program manager of the Yellowstone Wolf Project, told Mountain Journal that Wolf 907F’s story and resiliency were admired by visitors, wolf watchers, and the biologists who observed her throughout her life.

“Even in her death, defending her family and territory from a rival pack, 907F embodied what Yellowstone is all about,” Stahler said. “[It’s] a place where these carnivores have a chance to live a successful life and die the way of the wolf.”

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